28 December 2007
Last post for 2007
We hope everyone had a really good Christmas. Ours was a little weird, and Heather can't wait for the next, real, Christmas. For one, they don't celebrate Christmas here until January 7, and for two, we had the worst day of our trip so far (but it's funny now so don't worry Mrs. Greenwood).
We arrived in Moscow Christmas Eve, and headed out to the non-intentionally hilarious All Russia Exhibition Centre. This is a massive park full of pavilions dedicated to all that is/was great about the Soviet Union. Now, each of these massive, elaborate pavilions is chock full of tacky junk for sale. And it's not for tourists, although Heather did have to make a purchase. It was like going back in time, to the days of Gameboy Advance and 80s style underwear.
On Christmas Day we got a lovely present from a nice police officer in Red Square, who wanted between 6 and 8000 rubles ($400) to not take us to the police station, based on a phoney accusation that our visa paperwork was incorrect. After about 20 minutes of negotiation, in which we insisted that he take us to the police station so we could get some paperwork to prove that we had paid the 'fine' (read bribe) he let us go after paying... zero rubles. Sucker! Christmas day was also blighted by the hand of global warming, and there was no white Christmas, and there is still no blooming snow.
It then took two more days of trying (all roads around the Kremlin were blocked for a Christmas party, if you can believe that), before we finally managed to enter Red Square, which is quite nice (Lenin is looking especially fine for a 130 year old, and St. Basil's is a beautiful church, and reminds Heather of a cake). It took four days of trying before we actually entered the Kremlin, which is good (we especially liked the carriage collection in the Armoury) but not worth four days of trying.
Heather thinks that we would have fit in better if she had been wearing head-to-toe fur, and three inch stilettos. There is a different 'style' about this country than we have found elsewhere.
In a couple of hours we board train 20 which in six days time will drop us off in Harbin, China. We are very excited!
Comments:
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Since when have I been called Mrs Greenwood??? But we are glad you 'negotiated' with the policeman. Hope you enjoyed (are enjoying) the train ride. Judith & Warren alias Mum & Dad or Nanna & Pa.
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posted by 
: 29/12/07 07:49
: 29/12/07 07:49
Picturing Daryl ala' Homer Simpson talking with corrupt Policeman...
Police: How much money do you have?
Daryl's brain: Don't say $400, don't say $400.
Daryl: $400
- Russ (no aliases here)
Police: How much money do you have?
Daryl's brain: Don't say $400, don't say $400.
Daryl: $400
- Russ (no aliases here)
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posted by : 31/12/07 03:36
: 31/12/07 03:36
Question from a friend at work - how much does the train cost to China? And did you stop along the way at all? And - my question, can you plot the accurate tracking of where the train goes with your map here?
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posted by : 1/1/08 23:19
: 1/1/08 23:19
I second that accurate tracking in your google maps. Those straight lines don't do the trip justice. I also want to see the 3 attempts at getting into Red Square.
Also forgot to ask, what "souvenirs" are you collecting from each country? Tickets? Soap? What I recon would be cool, dirt! Then when you get back, chuck it all in the garden and claim to have the whole world in your backyard.
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